Knife



mrmu I v FIG.5\

Dec. 2, 1958 c. M. ANDERSON 2,862,296

KNIFE Filed July 25, 1957 mum Fl 6 8 9 "23f; I frtz, 26 27 INVENTOR:CLAREN E M. ANDERSON United States Patent KNIFE Clarence M. Anderson,Chicago, Ill., assignor to Anderson Tool & Manufacturing Company,Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Illinois Application July 25, 1957,Serial No. 674,176

4 Claims. (Cl. 30-162) This invention relates to improvements in knives,and particularly to knives of the type required for cutting throughheavy, non-metallic materials, as for example, linoleum, tile,carpeting, and the like.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form ofknife of the type wherein the blade is slidable in a handle into and outof cutting position; to provide a knife of this kind having an improvedmounting for the shiftable blade; to provide an improved pair ofseparable handle elements recessed and slotted for so enclosing theblade and shiftable mounting as to permit the blade to be reversed orreplaced and have the cutting edge held out of contact with the housingwhen being shifted back and forth; to provide an improved handle-housingand blade-mounting which positively secures the blade against accidentalor cuttingpressure retraction from its fully projected cutting position;and to provide an improved knife of this kind the several parts of whichare so simple in construction as to make its maunfacture very economicaland its use extremely facile as well as highly eflicient.

One embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an improved knife constructed inaccordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a left-hand end view of the same taken'on the plane of theline 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of the same taken onthe plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a right-hand end view of the same taken on the plane of theline 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an inside side elevation of one of the handle elements, asviewed from the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a reverse inside elevation of the other handle element, asviewed from the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, showing the knife bladein retracted position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6 except the knife blade isextended into cutting position;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembly shown in Fig. 1,as taken on the plane of the line 8-8 of that figure; and

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective of the blade and the blade-mountingwhereby the blade is shifted back and forth in the assembled handleelements.

The essential concept of this invention involves a twopiece handle oneof which pieces is longitudinally channeled to form guideways ofdiffering width and depth respectively, for the sliding support of aknife blade and a blade-mounting, and slotted to support afinger-contact, blade-mounting, shifting-button, the other of whichhandle pieces is longitudinally embossed and slotted, the embossmentbeing in width and depth equal to the wider channel in the one handlepiece whereby the pieces snugly fit together and are held in rigidassembly by a single screw, the slot being in depth and lengthsuflicicnt to accommodate the free end of a knife-positioning lug on theknife-mounting.

2,862,296 Patented Dec. 2, 1958 A knife embodying the foregoing conceptcomprises a pair of handle pieces or elements 11 and 12 which,superimposed, are held together by a single screw 13 to constitute ahousing for a knife blade 14 removably positioned on a reciprocablemounting 15 oppositely shiftable by a finger-contact button 16 toproject the knife blade 14 into cutting position forwardly of one end ofthe housing or retract it into a concealed position therein.

The handle elements 11 and 12 are complementary in form and so shapedexteriorly as to conveniently fit within the hand of a user to permitthe application of considerable pressure which may be required to cutsome very tough material, such as linoleum, tile, carpeting and thelike. Preferably, these elements 11 and 12 are made of a light-weightrust-proof metal. Both ends here are shown tapered, as at 17 and 18, thelatter end being slightly larger than the former. All longitudinal edgesare rounded and the upper and lower portions as well as the oppositesides are slightly bellied between the tapered ends.

The element 11, the inner face which opposes the element 12, is cut awayto form guideways 21 and 22 for the knife blade 14 and mounting 15,respectively, and slots 23 and 24 for finger-contact button 16 and itsconnecting pin 19 to the mounting 15.

The guideway 21 is channelled in the handle element 11 to extend thefull length of the element and is of uniform width throughout itslength. This channelled guideway 21 coacts with a comparable embossment26 on the handle element 12 to hold the two elements in transverselyunshiftable relationship by a single screw 13. The embossment 26 inheight is about half the depth of the channelled guideway 21. The spacebetween the plane of the embossment 26 and that of the guideway 22 issuch as to accommodate the knife blade 14, as presently will be pointedout.

The guideway 22, formed to slidingly accommodate the blade mounting 15,is recessed below the plane of the guideway 21 and is narrower andslightly shorter than the guideway,21. The opposite ends 27 and 28 ofthe guideway 22 constitute shoulder stops limiting the opposite shiftingof the blade mounting 15. Intermediate these end stops 27 and 28, theelement 11 is transversely recessed to provide a third stop 29, againstwhich abuts the trailing end of the blade mounting 15 to, preventcutting-pressure retraction of the knife blade 14 when in its extended.cutting position.

The handle element 12, as already has been noted, has the embossment26which seats in the channelled guideway 21 of the element 11. The element12 also has a longitudinally-disposed medial slot 31 adjacent one end ofthe element, to accommodate the free end of the knife-blade positioningpost 32 on the blade mounting 15.

The two handle elements Hand 12 have registering holes 33 and 34respectively (see Fig. 3) for the reception of the single screw 13 bywhich the two elements 11 and 12 are held in their assembledrelationship. These registering holes 33 and 34 are locatedapproximately at the center of the elements longitudinally andtransversely.

The hole 34, in the element 12, is threaded to receive the.

end of the screw 13 and the hole 33, in the element 11, is countersunkat 36to seat the head of the screw 13.

The knife blade'14 is made of high grade steel and in form simulates aconventional single-edge razor blade, but is a bit thicker than most ifnot all such blades. Medially the blade 14 has a polygonal-shapedaperture 37 fitting over the comparatively-shaped post 32 on the blademounting 15.

The blade mounting 15 is a strip of flat, resilient metal mounting thepost 32 at one end and the pin 19 at the other, which pin attaches thefinger-contact button 16. This mounting 15 is of a width to easily fitin the narrower guideway 22 and is of a length equal to the dis- 3tance-between the shoulderstops 27 and 29. The mounting 15 ispermanently bowed, asmost clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9, so that whenthe handle elements 11 and 12 are securely assembled the mounting 15 ispressed firmly against the element 1 1 by the ernbossment 26. on

the element 12. Thus theblademountinglSis yieldingly.

held in its retracted position, with the blade 14. concealed,

and the blade can hardlyxbeaccidently shifted. out of;- suchretractedrposition; it must be..done. by conscious, pressureonthefinger-contact button 16. Moreover, this.-

pressure on. theblade mounting. 15..wil1 insure the trailing.

end. of the mounting. dropping into thetransverse recess.

that forms the shoulder stop. 29 so asto secure themounting 15 againstretraction when the pressure is being. ap-,.

plied onthe knife blade 14 forv cutting. operations.

The blade mounting 15 is. formedtwith a longitudinally-disposedslot 35of a lengthand-width and positioning to straddle the screw 13 when. theparts. are all.

assembledin functioning relationshiptsee Figs. 6 and 7-).

The post32 here is shown of, rectangular form. and is suitably securedat the forward end of the mounting 15. The post 32 and the bladeaperture 37 are-soformed as to have a sung fit whereby the blade 14 isincapable of' any rotative movement on the mounting 15. Moreover, thepositioning of the post 32 and blade aperture 37 is such that when theblade 14 is in place on. the post 32..

the rear edge of the blade bears directly against the wall 39 whichdefines one edge of the channelled guideway 21. At the same time thecutting edge 40 of the blade 14 is held free of any possible contactwith the opposite, de-

fining wall 41 of the channelled guideway 21. Thus the combined shapeand positioning of the post 32 and the aperture 37 at all times hold theknife blade 14 firmly against the wall 39 and the cutting edge 40 awayfrom the wall 41 during any shifting of the blade relative to theassembled handle elements 11 and 12.

The button 16, being secured to theblade mounting 15 by the pin 19, isseated in theslot 24 on the outer face of the handle element 11. The.slot 24 is of a length to arrest the opposite movement of the button 16,by its contact with the opposite ends. of. the slot 23, in.synchronization with the abutment of the trailing end of the blademounting 15 against the shoulder stops 28 and, respectively. The button16, on its exposed face, is formed with. the. conventional serrations toinsure a firm contact of the users finger or thumb when the-knife blade14 is to be shifted ineither direction in the handle housing.

The operation of. the knifeisbelievedto be so obviousfrom the foregoingdescriptionas to require. only this observation: When the knife is notin use for cutting, thebutton 16 is shifted to the rear of its slot 23so as to retractively conceal the knife blade 14 within the assembledhandle elements 11 and 12. When the knife is to be used for cutting, thebutton716 is oppositely shifted in the slot 23 which projects the. knifeblade 14 beyond the. end 17' of the handle housing, as shown in Figs.land 7. In that position, the trailing end of. the mounting 15 dropsbehind theshoulder stop 29 so that no cutting pressure candislodge themounting 15 and/ or accidently permit the retraction of the blade 14. Aretraction of the blade 14 is possible only by a depression of thebutton and shifting it rearwardly in. the slot 23.

Although but one specific embodiment. of this ll'lVCIl: tion is hereinshown and described it will be understood that details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the.spirit of the inven- A. the length of the guideways and extendingexteriorly to the outer. face of the one. handle element, a slightlybowed resilient blade-mounting reciprocatingly slidable in theblade-mounting guideway in yielding contact with the other handleelement, a pair of stops for limiting the opposite reciprocation of theblade-mounting, a knifeblade means on the blade-mounting positioning theknife blade thereon, finger-contact means on the blademountingprojecting outwardly through the handle-element slot for shifting theblade-mounting to project the blade from and retract it into theassembled handle elements, a third stop in the form of a depression onthe inner face of the one element intermediate the pair of stops forseating the trailing end of. the blade-mounting when the end of theblade-mounting is in its forwardmost position and thereby locking theblade against retraction by pressure on the cutting edge thereof, thetrailing end of the blade-mounting being retractable from the third.step bythe depression of the finger-contact means to permit retractionoftheblade into the assembled handle elements, and-a fastenersecuringthe handle elements in superimposed assembly.

2. A knife. comprising, a knife blade, a pair of complementary handleelements one of which has longitudinally-disposed blade. andblade-mounting guideways formed in the face thereof which is opposed tothe other element, the blade-mounting. guideway-being deeperthantheblade guideway, the onehandle element also having anarrow slot formedthereinfor a portion of the-length of the .guideways and extendingexteriorlyto the outer faceof the one handleelement, a slightly bowedresilient blade-mounting reciprocatingly slidable in the bladernountingguideway in yielding contact with the other".

dispose the back of. theblade. in contactwith-one-defining. wall of theblade. guideway with the cutting edgeof the blade spaced from theopposite defining wall of the blade guideway, finger-contact. means onthe blademounting projecting outwardly. through. the. handle.- elementslot for shifting the blade-mounting to project the blade from andretract it into theassembled handle elements, a thirdstop in theform ofa depression on the inner face of, the oneelement intermediate the pairof stops for seating the trailing end of the blade-mounting when the endof the blade-mounting is in its. forwardmost position andtherebylockingthe bladeagainst retraction by pressure on the cutting. edgethereof, thetrailing end of the blade-mounting being retractable fromthe third stop by the depression of the. finger-contact means to permitretractionv of the blade into the assembled.

handle elements, and. a fastener. securing the handle elements insuperimposed assembly.

3. A knife comprising, a.knife blade, a pair ofcomplementary handleelementsone of which has longitudinallydisposed blade and blade-mountingguideways formed in the face thereof which is opposedto the otherelement, the blade-mounting guideway being deeper than the bladeguideway, the one handle element alsohaving a narrow slot formed thereinfor a portion of the length of the guideways and extendingexteriorly tothe. outer face of the one handle element, the other handle elementhaving the opposed face embossed to fit the. blade guideway andpositioning the handle elements with their perimeters in flushinterfitting relationship, the embossment being of less depth than theblade guideway and providing shifting space for the blade, a slightlybowed resilient blade-mounting reciprocatingly slidable in theblade-mounting guideway in yielding contact with the other handleelement, a pair of stops for limiting the opposite reciprocation of theblade-mounting, a knifeblade means on the blade-mounting positioning theknife blade thereon, finger-contact means on the blade-mountingprojecting outwardly through the handle-element slot for shifting theblade-mounting to project the blade from and retract it into theassembled handle elements, a third stop in the form of a depression onthe inner face of the one element intermediate the pair of stops forseating the trailing end of the blade-mounting when the end of theblade-mounting is in its forwardmost position and thereby locking theblade against retraction by pressure on the cutting edge thereof, thetrailing end of the blade-mounting being retractable from the third stopby the depression of the finger-contact means to permit retraction ofthe blade into the assembled handle elements, the handle elements havingmedially located registering screw holes, the hole in the one handleelement being threaded to receive a screw end, the hole in the otherhandle element being counter-sunk to seat a screw head, and a screwseated in the registering handle element holes for securing the elementsin superimposed assembly.

4. A knife comprising, a knife blade, a pair of complementary handleelements one of which has longitudinally-disposed blade andblade-mounting guideways formed in the face thereof which is opposed tothe other element, the blade-mounting guideway being deeper than theblade guideway, the one handle element also having a narrow slot formedtherein for a portion of the length of the guideways and extendingexteriorly to the outer face of the one handle element, the other handleelement having the opposed face embossed to fit the blade guideway andpositioning the handle elements with their perimeters in flushinterfitting relationship, the embossment being of less depth than theblade guideway and providing shifting space for the blade, a slightlybowed resilient blade-mounting reciprocatingly slidable in theblade-mounting guideway in yielding contact with the other handleelement, a pair of stops for limiting the opposite reciprocation of theblade-mounting, a knife blade of less width than the blade-guideway andhaving a polygonal-shaped aperture therein, a polygonal-shaped post onthe blade-mounting snugly fitting the blade aperture to dispose the backof the blade in contact with one defining wall of the blade guidewaywith the cutting edge of the blade spaced from the opposite definingwall of the blade guideway, finger-contact means on the blademountingprojecting outwardly through the handleelement slot for shifting theblade-mounting to project the blade from and retract it into theassembled handle elements, a third stop in the form of a depression onthe inner face of the one element intermediate the pair of stops forseating the trailing end of the blade-mounting when the end of theblade-mounting is in its forwardmost position and thereby locking theblade against retraction by pressure on the cutting edge thereof, thetrailing end of the blade-mounting being retractable from the third stopby the depression of the finger-contact means to permit retraction ofthe blade into the assembled handle elements, the handle elements havingmedially located registering screw holes, the hole in the one handleelement being threaded to receive a screw end, the hole in the otherhandle element being counter-sunk to seat a screw 7 head, and a screwseated in the registering handle element holes for assembly.

securing the elements in superimposed References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 509,228 Larson Nov. 21, 1893 628,259Wheeler July 4, 1899 2,548,797 Ingwer et a1. Apr. 10, 1951 2,607,987Bettenhausen Aug. 26, 1952

